US embassy cable - 03VATICAN5427

UNCLAS VATICAN 005427 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE (LEVIN); OES/S 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, TBIO, SOCI, VT 
SUBJECT:  HOLY SEE -- WORLD AIDS DAY 
 
REFS: A) VATICAN 0283; B) VATICAN 1508 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  CARE AND TREATMENT FOR SUFFERERS OF HIV/AIDS 
AND FIDELITY AND ABSTINENCE TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE 
DISEASE WERE THE HOLY SEE'S KEY MESSAGES FOR WORLD AIDS DAY 
2003.  IN A STATEMENT DELIVERED NOVEMBER 30, POPE JOHN PAUL 
II LAMENTED THE CONTINUED SPREAD OF THE VIRUS, "ESPECIALLY 
IN THE POOREST OF COUNTRIES" AND ENCOURAGED CATHOLICS TO 
OFFER HOSPITALITY, CARE AND SPIRITUAL SUPPORT TO VICTIMS OF 
    HIV/AIDS.  IN A SEPARATE MESSAGE, THE HOLY SEE'S HEALTH 
MINISTER EQUIVALENT, CARDINAL JAVIER LOZANO BARRAGAN, 
CALLED FOR GREATER ACCESS BOTH TO GENERIC MEDICINES TO 
FIGHT AIDS-RELATED OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS AND TO 
MEDICINES TO HELP CONTROL THE DISEASE ITSELF.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  CARDINAL BARRAGAN SAID THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND CIVIL 
GOVERNMENTS SHOULD PROMOTE EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS THAT "FAVOR 
THE CULTURE OF LIFE AND RESPONSIBLE LOVE."  BARRAGAN ALSO 
URGED AN INCREASE IN PROGRAMS TO MEET THE HUMANITARIAN, 
SOCIAL AND HEALTH NEEDS OF THE INCREASING NUMBER OF 
CHILDREN LEFT ORPHANED BY AIDS.  HE SAID EVERY FORM OF 
EXCLUSION, DISCRIMINATION OR STIGMATIZATION OF HIV/AIDS 
SUFFERS MUST BE AVOIDED, AND EXPRESSED PARTICULAR CONCERN 
FOR PRISON INMATES.  THE CARDINAL ANNOUNCED THAT HIS 
DICASTERY WAS PREPARING A HANDBOOK FOR CHURCH WORKERS ON 
HIV/AIDS IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS 
ORDERS, INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE ABOUT 25 
PERCENT OF ALL SOCIAL ASSISTANCE AND 19 PERCENT OF HEALTH 
CARE WORLDWIDE TO PEOPLE WITH HIV/AIDS. 
 
3.CARITAS INTERNATIONALIS, A FEDERATION OF CATHOLIC 
RELIEF AGENCIES, HAS CALLED ON ITS 162 MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS 
TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE THE STIGMA AND 
DISCRIMINATION ASSOCIATED WITH HIV/AIDS.  CARITAS 
INTERNATIONALIS IS THE ONLY NON-UN ORGANIZATION WITH A 
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH UNAIDS, AND HAS FOR MANY 
YEARS HAS ORGANIZED SEMINARS FOR BISHOPS, CLERGY, AND LAY 
PEOPLE TO PROMOTE GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PANDEMIC. 
CARITAS AND UNAIDS HAVE PLEDGED TO WORK TOGETHER, FROM 
THEIR DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, TO PROMOTE AWARENESS, 
    ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, TO PREVENT NEW INFECTIONS, 
ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS OF THOSE INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS, 
AND ELIMINATE DISCRIMINATION AT ALL LEVELS OF SOCIETY. 
 
4.COMMENT:  THE HOLY SEE AND ITS RELATED ORGANIZATIONS 
WORLDWIDE CONTINUE TO BE KEY PLAYERS IN THE CARE AND 
TREATMENT OF PERSONS WITH HIV/AIDS (REFTELS A AND B).  MANY 
OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOW TAKING UP ADVOCACY WORK 
AIMED AT BUILDING INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR EFFORTS TO 
COMBAT HIV/AIDS AND AT ENDING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST 
HIV/AIDS VICTIMS AT ALL SOCIAL LEVELS.  HOLY SEE PREVENTION 
STRATEGIES ARE FOCUSED ON PREMARITAL ABSTINENCE AND 
FAITHFULNESS WITHIN MARRIAGE.  RECENT MEDIA CRITICISM OF 
THE HOLY SEE'S OPPOSITION TO THE USE OF CONDOMS AS AN 
EFFECTIVE MEANS OF PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF INFECTION HAS 
DETRACTED ATTENTION FROM ITS BROAD AND EFFECTIVE WORLDWIDE 
DEPLOYMENT OF CONSIDERABLE RESOURCES AND MANPOWER TO COMBAT 
THE AIDS PANDEMIC.  END COMMENT. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
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 2003VATICA05427 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED